Dry-erase ink marking media

Abstract

The present invention relates to an article and its manufacture for use as a dry erase media. In particular, the invention provides for an article that has permanent and transient indicia or artwork. The transient indicia or artwork is applied to a topmost surface of a substrate using dry erase inks, and the permanent indicia or artwork is applied to the lowermost surface of the substrate. The substrate itself is transparent or translucent to allow both transient and permanent indicia or artwork to be viewed simultaneously as a single apparent image that is informationally interactive.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A dry-erasable article comprising: 
 a) a substrate comprising an upper and a lower major lateral surface,    b) a first coating layer affixed to said upper major lateral surface, said first coating layer comprising a dry-erase ink receiving surface; and    c) a second coating layer affixed to said lower major lateral surface, said second coating layer comprising an image-receiving surface.    
     
     
         2 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a flexible or rigid polymer.  
     
     
         3 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said polymer comprises celluloses, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyolefins, halo polymers, acrylates, styrene polymers, polyamides, vinyl polymers and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said polymer is optically transparent or translucent.  
     
     
         5 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first coating layer comprises a film-forming resin allowing essentially stain-free removal of dry-erasable images from said dry-erase ink receiving surface.  
     
     
         6 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first coating layer comprises a film-forming resin allowing essentially stain-free removal of dry-erasable images from said dry-erase ink receiving surface after application of a dry-erase ink and conditioning at 122° F. and 95% RH for 2 weeks.  
     
     
         7 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first coating layer comprises fluoropolymers and lacquers.  
     
     
         8 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said lacquer comprises a radiation-cured lacquer.  
     
     
         9 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said radiation-cured lacquer comprises UV-cured acrylate monomer lacquers and electron beam radiation-cured urethane acrylates.  
     
     
         10 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said second coating layer comprises resins capable of affixing and essentially permanently adhering ink jet images.  
     
     
         11 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said second coating layer comprises resins capable of affixing and essentially permanently adhering electrophotographic images.  
     
     
         12 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said second coating layer comprises resins capable of affixing and essentially permanently adhering conventionally printed images.  
     
     
         13 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises polyester, said first coating layer comprises InteliCoat Technologies, formerly Rexam IMAGE PRODUCTS, WHITEBOARD FILM COATING, and said second coating layer comprises materials selected from the group consisting of Hanita DURA-GO, Hanita DURAKOTE and Rexam DMBP5.  
     
     
         14 . The dry-erasable article as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises polycarbonate, said first coating layer comprises InteliCoat Technologies, formerly Rexam IMAGE PRODUCTS, WHITEBOARD FILM COATING, and said second coating layer comprises Hanita DURA-GO.  
     
     
         15 . The process of making a dry-erasable article comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a composite material comprising a substrate comprising an upper major lateral surface and a lower major lateral surface and an image receiving layer affixed to said lower major lateral surface; and    b) applying a dry-erase ink receiving layer to said upper major lateral surface.    
     
     
         16 . The process of making a dry-erasable article comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a substrate comprising upper and lower lateral surfaces;    b) applying a dry-erase ink receiving layer to said upper major lateral surface; and    c) applying an image receiving layer to said lower major lateral surface.    
     
     
         17 . The process as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said steps (b) and (c) are reversed.  
     
     
         18 . The process as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said steps (b) and (c) are performed in a single coating pass.  
     
     
         19 . The process as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said steps (b) and (c) are performed in a single coating pass.